Manually operated tool



April 28, 1936- E. N. w|NsLow 2,038,691

' MANUALLY OPERATED TOOL Filed May 12, 1933 -INVENTOR. Ea ward 726/080.

ATTORNE Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATE MANUALLY OPERATED 'roor. Edward N. Winslow, Shaker Heights, Ohio Application May 12, 1933, Serial No. 670,621

2 Claims.

The present invention, relating as indicated to a manually operated tool, is more particularly directed to a new and improved operating means for a tool of the character of a vacuum cleaner,

5 sweeper or other mechanism operating over varimovement. The first method of changing direcl ous surfaces, supported on rolling or sliding suption is laborious while the same not only takes ports, and actuated by means of a handlecone additional time and steps but is sometimes imtrolled by an operator. The principal object of possible because of the position of other objects or the invention is the provision of a tool of this constructions on or in the surface being covered.

character which may be more conveniently, accu- The second method is of course for the operator l0 rately and flexibly controlled by the operator than to swing the handle laterally to one side or the the tools of this type now in use. More precisely other, which is satisfactory for small changes in stated, the general object of the invention is to direction or for short strokes or movements of provide means connecting the operating handle the tool, but is not satisfactory when the tool is to a wheel supported tool such as a vacuum to be continued through a considerable distance 18 cleaner or lawn mower, in such a manner whereby along the new line of movement.

a rotational or twisting movement of the opera- In my improved tool I interpose between the tors hand on the handle will be so translated as handle Ill and the body or casing of the tool ,I a to effect rotational movement of the tool about universal joint or more properly, a Hookes cou- 20 its vertical axis. pling or joint, illustrated particularly in Fig. 4 of 20 To the accomplishment of the foregoing and the drawing. The lower end of the handle in is related ends, said invention, then, consists of the provided with an end fork H, in which there is means hereinafter fully described and particupivotally mounted a block 12 by means of a pin larly pointed out in the claims; the annexed l3 serving asan axisfor relative horizontal movedrawing and the following description setting ment between handle and block. The block I! is 5 forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the also pivotally mounted in a bracket I4 secured to invention, such disclosed means constituting," the casing I and having spaced arms, between however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the end of the block I! ismounted by means which the principle of the inventionmay be used. of a second pin 15 disposed at substantialy right In said annexed drawing: angles to the plane of the pin 13. The axes of 30 Fig. 1 is a sideelevation showing a vacuum the two pivots or pins l3 and I5 do not necessarily cleaner embodying my present invention; Fig. 2 have to intercept at exactly right angles or conis a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is another plan stitute a perfect universal joint. Furthermore, view illustrating the operation of the device; and the bracket I4 is preferably mounted at a slight Fig. 4 is a partial section through the connecting angle to the vertical on the casing. The opera- 35 means betweenhandle and tool, and taken on line tion of this joint is dependent upon the well- 4-4 of Fig. 1. I .known theory of operation of a Hookes joint con- Referring now to Fig. l, I have shown a vacnecting two shafts having angularly inclined axes. uum cleaner of ordinary construction consisting In operation the tool is moved over the surface 40 of a. casing l, in which is housed the motor and by pushing it forwardly through the handle I0 40 fan, provided with a suction nozzle 2 and supin the ordinary manner. If it is desired to turn ported upon wheels 3 andl. The ordinary vacthe tool, all that is required is to axially rotate or uum cleaner is provided with a handlewhich is twist the handle l0 either to the right or left, pivotally secured to the cleaner to permit of relawhich will cause the body of the tool to turn tive vertical movement of the handle with respect similarly and move to the left or right. It is pos- 46 thereto to allow operation of the cleaner with the sible, for example, for an operator to move in the handle held at different levels to suit the convenline indicated by the arrow IS in Fig. 2 while opience of the operator and topermit of the introcrating the machine in a parallel line, indicated .duction of the cleaner under such objects as davby the arrow I! in the same figure, by a proper o enports, chairs and the like, in which operation manipulation of the handle. 50 the handle of course has to be somewhat lowered. The action will be understood from an inspec- In the operation of any device of this sort, that tion of Figs. 3 and 4. If the machine. is being is, a vacuum cleaner, a carpet sweeper, a lawn moved in a straight line and the handle is axially mower, or the like, it is necessary, in order to rotated to the left the only way in which this change the direction of movement of the tool rotation can occurisbyacompensating change in 55 from the surface on which it is supported, for the operator to either bodily slide the tool side'- ways over the floor or to walk around until the operator is in line with. the desired direction of the direction of movement of the machine proper, which occurs through an angular movement about the two axes l3 and Li, which is directly proportioned to the rotational movement given to the handle. Up and down movements of the handle of course have no effect upon the angular relationship between handle and casing proper so that operation of themachine in the ordinary manner is still possible, with the important added advantage of complete control of the direction of movement through the single handle as heretofore.

The present invention involves but few and simple parts readily interposed between the ordinary handle and tool proper while the ordinary operation is in no way interfered with. In addition, a control of the tool is provided which aifords greatly increased convenience in use and increased speed in operation. It is obvious that the angular motion, either vertical or horizontal, of the handle with respect-to the casing may be restrained by any convenient removable means if desired in adapting the tool to any special purpose in which only one angular motion between handle and tool is desired.

It will be appreciated that thepresent invention is not limited to the tool specifically named above, but may be advantageously employed or incorporated in portable tools operating over and upon surfacesin which the tool is moved over the surface by means of a handle which is either used solely to direct the movement of the tool as in the case of motor driven articles or as the cans of manual propulsion, as in the case of a vacuum cleaner, or carpet sweeper. The term portable tool as used herein is intended to embrace tools of the type just described, in which the tool is supported upon a horizontal surface by wheels or other means and moved over the surface while performing some work upon the surface thereof.

The surfaces on which such tools may be conveniently employed may be either horizontal or sloping. For example, the present invention, if embodied in a'lawn mower between the handle and the tool proper, will permit employment of the lawn mower on a sloping or terraced surface in a direction parallel to the plane of intersection between a sloping and a. horizontal surface respect to the surface to be traversed by said implement and freely rotatable dual pivots connecting said handle to said implement, the axis of one of said pivots extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of motion of said implement and in a substantially horizontal plane,

the axis of the other of said pivots being sub stantially normal to said first named axis and at an acute angle to the vertical, whereby a twisting motion of said handle about its own axis rotates [gated handle member angularly inclined with said implement bodily in a horizontal plane and produces a change in the direction of motion of said implement.

2. Means for manually propelling and directing a wheel supported surface traversing implement comprising an elongated handle member angularly inclined with respect to the surface to be traversed by said implement, means for connecting said handle member to said implement for movement about two non-intersecting axes, one of said axes extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of motion of said implement and in a substantially horizontal plane, the other of said axes being substantially normal to said first named axis and at an acute angle to the vertical, whereby a twisting motion of said handleabout its own axis in one direction or the other rotates said implement bodily in a horizontal plane and produces a corresponding change in the direction of motion of said implement.

EDWARD N. WINSLOW. 

